Pacific Northwest National Lab

About Pacific Northwest National Lab

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is focused on DOE's missions in science, energy, environment, and national security. PNNL researchers routinely integrate across fundamental science and applied technology programs, engaging partners across the country to take on big challenges. These efforts also deliver significant economic contributions to Washington State, the Northwest region and the nation. The dedication of our people to push the frontiers of science and engineering in order to solve some of the nation's greatest challenges is a hallmark of PNNL's 50 year history.

Capabilities

PNNL's expertise in fuel cells research extends over 20 years. In addition to being the DOE's Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Laboratory, PNNL leverages its catalysis, materials, and engineering capabilities for the advancement of other fuel cells and the hydrogen infrastructure. PNNL's main capabilities include:

Catalysis: PNNL hosts the Institute for Integrated Catalysis — over 140 catalyst scientists whose work spans from fundamental to applied.

Hydrogen Safety: PNNL leads the Hydrogen Safety Panel and First Responder Training in the safe handling of hydrogen and fuel cells.

Facilities

PNNL's capabilities are deployed across multiple laboratories and test sites.

The Physical Sciences Laboratory houses much of PNNL’s electrochemical characterization equipment, including >20 test electrochemical stands, PEMFC MEA fabrication, EIS, and up to 10-kW stack testing equipment. Several NMRs, calorimetry measurement systems, and a PZT unit are also located here.

PNNL's Applied Process Engineering Laboratory contains additional electrochemical characterization laboratories as well as microchannel testing capabilities and plasma reactors. The lab also houses a state-of-the-art magenetocaloric regenerator for use in characterizing potential magnetocaloric materials for liquefaction.

Polymer hydrogen compatibility test labs are located in the Physical Sciences Facility. A full spectrum of thermal, mechanical and spectroscopic techniques, rheology equipment, and hydrogen permeability measurement systems are available.

The HAMMER facility is where our hands-on first responder training is done. The site includes a vehicle "prop" which can be ignited to simulate a car accident to train first responders in how to safely put out a hydrogen vehicle fire.

PNNL stewards the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory User Facility. This facility houses standard and unique materials and catalyst characterization equipment as well as the Cascade Super Computer (3.4 petaflops) and Aurora 15.8 petabyte storage. Some characterization equipment highlights are: NMRs including an 850 MHz wide-bore NMR, electron microscopes including a range of high-resolution, aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopes (TEMs) and a scanning He-ion microscope for secondary electron micrographs with extensive depth-of-focus. The environmental TEM allows gas (e.g. H2, O2, inert gas) to be introduced at the sample position at pressures up to 10 mbar and temperatures from ambient to 700°C. There is a gas cell available for the conventional TEM which can accept pressures up to ~1.5 bar and 500°C.

A Microchannel Reformer integrated with a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell. Photo by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

First responders training with Safety Prop. Photo by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.